Someone Else's Shoes
by jemstones25
Summary: You shouldn't judge someone until you walked a mile in their shoes. Bella and Edward learned that the hard way. Bella single mum of 2 year old twins works at Cullen Inc. Edward is the CEO with an attitude problem, or so she thinks. Given the chance to see life from someone else's point of view, will they change their mind about the other? who knows..AH Corner-officeward! lemons!
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS OWNED BY S. MEYER NOT ME UNFORTUNATLY.

Chapter 1

BOPV

It's been one of those days…

The one that makes you want to curl up in bed and hide from the world, while you ponder the fact that the clusterfuck that is your life, is so vastly different from what you expected, and exactly how it managed to so clustered in its fuckery!

But alas, hiding is not an option with twin two year olds running around! I literally need eyes in the back of my head! Seriously, one time I was in their bedroom putting away clothes, I was in there the amount of time it took to open a draw, put a pre folded pile of clothes in an empty space and shut the draw, when I went back into the laundry room (more like cupboard!) one of them (Jack) had climbed into the dryer! How is a 2 year old that fast?

So my life continues day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year, at the same hurtling pace. Always struggling to keep my head above water, living from paycheck to paycheck, not even enough at the end of the month to take the kids to visit my parents, they would help me, if I asked, but I don't ask, I don't want to be a bother.

Don't get me wrong, I love my kids, Jack and Lucy are my life, and I would not change them for the world, its just that today has been a shitty day.

It started with Lucy puking this morning, when I went in to wake them up, she was fussy and felt hot, after taking her temperature, I took her to my room while Jack played happily sucking on his morning bottle of strawberry milk I made before I went in to their room, he was never fussy, just content to sit there playing till I got to him. I sat Lucy on my bed while I went to get some medication for her fever in my en-suite bathroom where I kept all the medication. Lucy started calling for me, still crying, and promptly vomited with spectacular accuracy all over my favorite nude pumps that I had planned to wear this morning that were sitting waiting neatly at the end of my bed.

Thankfully Angela, my best friend and wonderful woman who watches the kids for me cause she works from home everyday, arrived.

Holding a sick child in one arm, and trying to put my shoes somewhere I could not smell them before I threw up my self, without getting any puke on myself, is what she saw when she walked in to my room to see what the fuss was about!

"Oh no, what happened? Is she ok?" Angela asked, rushing over to take Lucy from me, and sitting on the bed with her, while trying to sooth her.

"I don't know, she was fussy and red this morning when I went in with the bottles, she has a temperature, she threw up before I could get any medication in her!"

"Is jack still in bed?"

"Yeah, I gave him his bottle, he's fine, I just need to." I said looking at the clock on my wall and calculating the amount of time it would take to make them breakfast, and get them ready to go with Angela for the day.

"You just need to get ready, I can take care of the rest, now go on, you're going to be late if you don't hurry, we'll be fine!"

"Are you sure, she's sick, you shouldn't have to deal…"

"We're fine, I will call you if we need to, don't worry!" Angela interrupted; she knew I could not afford to take a day off work. And I trusted her to take good care of my babies.

After a calming breath and re-do of my standard pony tail, and a different pair of shoes, I was out the door.

I don't know if it was my lack of caffeine this morning or the frazzled start to my day, but whatever it was, nothing went my way!

I missed the bus, or should I say the bus missed me, I was at the bus stop, but apparently the bus driver thought it was a better idea to ignore me and drive straight past me instead, splashing water on my shoes! I was destined to go to work with soaked feet, but I'd take muddy road puddle water over vomit any day of the week and twice on Sundays, so that was a bonus I suppose, every cloud and all that bullshit!

So, I was late for work, my boss, an egotistical self absorbed asshole, who is also the most beautiful man I have ever had the privilege to see with my own two eyes and not just on TV, chose that morning to take his head out of his ass, and notice my existence, or should I say lack thereof seeing as I was not at my desk when his Starbucks ran out and he needed more. I had called to inform Jessica, the other secretary, that I was going to be late, but she had not told Him.

My charming (note the tone) boss had decided in his infinite wisdom to squawk at me in front of the entire staff who were gathered for a meeting, which I did n=make it in time for, about my lateness, and unsuitable appearance ("if you can't make it to work on time, you could at least be suitably neat and clean, Miss Swan") and told me I could make up the time in my lunch break, how kind of him! Edward Cullen is an ass of epic proportions! The day I quit he better watch out for the tongue-lashing of his life. Unfortunately today was not that day, so I sat there shutting up, and swallowing my pride, or what little of it there was left!

The rest of the day he was in a shitty mood, which meant everyone was on edge, no lunch break meant no lunch, and without having breakfast either, I was feeling decidedly faint on the way to Angela's to pick up Jack and Lucy at the end of the day.

I was tired and in a bad mood, and I just wanted to go home already, curl up on the couch and forget about the day, tomorrow was Friday and then two whole days off! I could not wait!

Angela saw me coming up her driveway and opened the door before I got there.

"Hey, you ok? You look like crap!" was the greeting I got from her.

"Gee thanks, I love you too!" was my witty response, normally I would come up with something better, but my brain was already in front of my TV with a large glass of merlot.

"I know you do," she laughed opening the door wider so I could go into her house.

I immediately went to the cushions in front of the TV when my two little angels were watching with rapt attention to a bear in a submarine being chased around the sea to classical music. I have to say, I kind of got the appeal, many times have I found myself still watching kids television channel an hour after I put them to bed, completely engrossed in the action on the screen! Worrying really!

"She was fine today, managed to give her something for the temperature when we got here then she zonked out for a while, but she was fine when she woke up, clingy, and she kept asking for you but no fever." Angela told me while I stroked Lucy's fringe from her forehead as she slept.

"What about Jack, no temperature, no vomiting, he usually gets everything she get straight after."

"No he was fine, he kept trying to get in the cupboards again, but they have latches now" she laughed, my son has had an obsession with hiding and getting into cupboards ever since my sister Leah came to stay a month ago, and taught them to play hide and seek. Jacks been 'hiding' ever since, bless him.

"Cup of tea?" Angela asked

"No thanks Hun, I just want to get home, it's been the day from hell and I can't wait for it to be over"

"Ok, why don't I drive you home tonight, I know you don't like to ask, but you'll will be home quicker"

"No that's ok, we'll be fine, thanks though"

"I know you will be fine, but you look exhausted and Lucy was sick today, the cold and wet won't do her any good, let me help you Bella."

"You do enough, I don't want to put you out more"

"Bella, I love you but you are so stubborn, I offered, I would not have done that if it was a bother!"

"Ok thanks" I conceded cause she was right, the cold night air would not be good for Lucy, or either of them really. We gathered up their coats, and the nappy bag and put them in the car before coming back for the children. Both of them were wrapped up in little blankets that Angela had bought them for their birthdays last month, Lucy had a purple one, and Jack had a blue one. We each took a child blankets and all and put them in the car seats that Angela had in the car. As I was getting in the front seat I noticed a bag on the front seat, I went to move it to the floor.

"We had Chinese tonight, I got some for you too, Lucy didn't eat much but Jack loved it! We got you sweet and sour chicken, I know that's your favorite"

For some reason, unknown to me, but mot likely the stress of the day, and being ridiculously tired and hungry, I burst into tears. Angela just gave me a hug and waited till I calmed myself. She didn't ask me about it, she knew me well enough to know that if I wanted to talk about it I would. I didn't want to talk about it.

We drove in relative silence except for the tiny sighs and murmurs from the back seat. When me arrived at my house Angela parked and went to open the front door, and then came back for Jack while I got my poorly baby out of her car seat. I felt horribly guilty that she was sick and I had to go to work, but that's just another thing that made this day crappy.

Once the kids were settled and tucked up in their cots, I got changed into some yoga pants and a tank top, noticing while I was in my room that Angela has managed t clean my shoes, just another thing that brought tears to my eyes inexplicably.

When I got down stairs, Angela had heated my Chinese, and set out a glass of wine for us, and was seated at the tiny table in my tiny kitchen waiting for me to spill my guts about my outburst.

She knew me too well.

So after the first few bites, and half the glass of wine, it all came flooding out, like verbal diarrhea, I couldn't stop it. And Angela just sat there letting me rant about my day and my boss and my ex boyfriend, and his new wife, everything came spewing out. I felt better afterwards. But it made me think, something had to give, I could not carry on like this, it was making me crazy.

I walked Angela to the door, and wished her good night and thanked her, telling her I would see her tomorrow. She was half way down the drive when she said

"Oh, I put your fortune cookie in font of the microwave, I know how you love those" she laughed, and then finished walking to her car.

I watched her drive off with a wave and shut the door, turning the key in the lock before going to the kitchen to retrieve my fortune cookie, she was right I did love them, I always hoped I would get a good fortune and that it would come true, but they were always shitty generic ones that don't really mean anything. I knew logically that they were probably made in a factory somewhere and meant nothing, but you never know…

I took the cookie to my room, and tossed it on my bed in its packet, going to the bathroom to complete my nightly ritual, shower the day off, brush teeth, wash face, towel dry then plat hair, body lotion, face lotion, then PJs.

I turned on the side light by my bed, then turned off the main light and climbed into to my warm king size bed, the only good thing to come out of my relationship with Jacob, cheating ass-wipe extraordinaire, except Jack and Lucy of course. But he gave up his right to them the day they were born so I don't count them part of that relationship; he was their sperm donor, nothing more.

I turned the light out, and thought about my boss, Edward dick face Cullen, asshole, I replayed every little demeaning thing he said to me today. Condescending prick. Not everyone is born with a silver spoon up their ass, and the world handed to them on a platter. He'd never survive living my life. If he knew what my life was like, what I deal with every day, he would change his tune.

Remembering the cookie, I opened the packet, split it open and read my fortune

'Be careful what you wish for…'

Another bullshit generic piece of shit, awesome.

I threw the piece of paper on to my nightstand, chucked the rest in the bin; I don't like the cookie, just the fortune bit. Then shut off the light on the nightstand and tried to shut my brain off till tomorrow morning when it starts all over again!

Fan-fucking-tastic!

AN: I HOPE YOU LIKED IT. PLEASE REVIEW! MORE TOMORROW HOPEFULLY!


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO S. MEYER. I OWN NOTHING.

Chapter 2

EPOV

Today was a shitty day…

It started off ok, but turned to crap as soon as I got in the car. MY car, not the car service I paid to have come pick me up so I can get some extra work done on the way into the office, no, no… not that car, MY FUCKING CAR! Because apparently, "the driver called in sick and there is no-one available, would I mind being collected half an hour later?" Yes actually I would fucking mind, if I wanted to be picked up half an hour later I could have booked the pick up time for 7:30 rather than 7 o clock wouldn't I?

So after telling the to forget it, and cancelling my standing appointment with them for everything, I picked up my brief case and made my way to the parking garage of my building, keys in hand, and in a shitty mood.

I made a mental note to get one the secretaries to find and book another car service, or look into buying a car and hiring a driver, or two drivers in case one is sick! Whatever, but it needs to be done by tomorrow.

So finding my self in MY car, I made my way to the office, I could not write emails as I normally did on the way to the office, so I spent my time calling the necessary people, when I called my Brother in Law Emmett, to find out if he emailed the latest information on the software proposal he was working on to me, I got my sister instead. That made my already crappy day, a whole hell of a lot worse!

"Edward, it's seven fifteen in the morning, get a fucking life" my darling sister greeted me when she answered.

"Just put Emmett on the phone Rosalie, I'm in no mood for this today"

"you're in no mood, I do give a fucking crap about your mood, you are ringing my house, at the fucking crack of dawn demanding to speak to my husband who you are going to see in 45 minutes anyway, what could be so fucking important it can't wait?"

"Can you just put Emmett on the god-damn phone"

"Say please" she said in that smug voice 'I-know-something-you-don't-know'voice that has pissed me off since we were kids

"PLEASE" I said through gritted teeth, the leather of the steering wheel creaking under my white-knuckle grip.

"Sorry he's in the shower" she said then laughed as she hung up. Bitch. How the fuck my right hand man, Emmett puts up with her bitchy ass I will never know. Whipped motherfucker that he is. Worships the ground she walks on. As her brother I should respect that, but I can't stand her. Se annoys the piss out of me and always has.

I didn't have time to stop for my normal dose of caffeine this morning, that pissed me off more, I am not a nice person when I am not caffeinated, let me tell you. So far my day had gone from bad to worse, and the fact that my assistant had not arrived yet did not help matters, I tried to call her to get me some coffee but there was no answer on her cell phone either, I called he house phone only to be informed by the person who answered that she had left, and her cell was next to the microwave in her kitchen, like I give a flying fuck where my hair-brained dim witted secretary left her phone.

Just then Jessica my other assistant, who I tried not to speak to too much because I seriously wondered sometimes if she understood English, when ever I asked her something she had this blank vacant expression on her face while staring at me. I was pretty sure she had a crush on me, not to sound arrogant but most people did, I could pretty much get any female to do what ever I wanted of them, except Isabella.

She was stubborn, opinionated, and while she was very good at her job, seemed to be distracted all the time. That is not how I expect my assistant to behave and on top of that she was late. Admittedly it had not happened before in the year that she had worked for me, there was something about her that rubbed me up the wrong way. I errantly thought that perhaps it was the fact that she was stunning, but never gave me a second look.

Ok, so maybe I am arrogant, but I can afford to be, I am good at my job and I know it. My father did not make me the CEO for nothing. I trained hard under him and I deserved every promotion he gave me. I did my time in every department, and every position, doing every shitty job that he deemed necessary for me to get the experience that I needed, the same way his father had done with him. No special treatment for the boss's son.

I did have a privileged life style but I worked hard to get where I am. And it was not all rainbows and sunshine either.

My life is demanding and stressful…

But I digress. Jessica.

Yes, Jessica came in to inform me that Isabella was late.

"Thank you, Miss Stanley, I can see that, did she say why she was late?"

"Yes, Mr Cullen" she said vaguely.

" Would you care to elaborate?" she looked at be blankly for a few seconds "well.." still the blank stare "is there a reason for her lateness" my patience was thinning by the second.

"Because she didn't get here on time Mr Cullen." Dumb as a post. I give up.

"Photocopy these and put a copy in everyone's mail box, but first get me a coffee" I said finally handing her a stack of papers, and dismissing her.

I go through my emails and see that Emmett has sent me the figures I needed, guess the phone call this morning was unnecessary but that is not the point. I would't take it out on Emmett though, he had to put up with my sister after all. Probably does'nt even know that I called. Bitch.

I sent a memo to all of the employees about the staff meeting. Attendance was mandatory. Everyone knew that.

Just as I was about to start the meeting, a very flustered, and unusually sloppy looking Miss Swan Rushed to her desk and dumped her coat and bag, picked up a pad and pen then skidded to a stop in one of the chairs in the front of the conference room, it was comical but I was in no mood today. So she got the full force of my bad day. In front of everyone. It was unfair, and unprofessional, and partly untrue. I ha said she basically looked like shit, which she didn't, but I was pissed off. Of course I would not apologize to her. Why should I. asshole move but again, very pissed of at the moment.

The day did not get any better. My girlfriend, who I am beginning to hate, Tanya, hassled me about canceling our lunch, not that she had informed me that she had made plans, but apparently a minor thing like asking me if it was ok was unnecessary. My parents loved her therefore I should too. I am going to break up with her soon, just not yet. Every time I go to break up with her she tells me she is pregnant, or starts crying or threatens to arm herself, one time I actually managed to say the words to he though she laughed and told me she would come back after my little tantrum as she was meeting my mother to go shopping. As I said my parents loved her, they has no idea who she was outside of the role she played for them, dutiful innocent, put upon girlfriend of heartless CEO, yeah right. Innocent my ass, and dutiful, you are having a laugh.

So she turns up at the office, dumps her things on Isabella's desk and waltzes in to my office like she owns the place. I realize that I do the same to Isabella on occasion, but I'm the one that pays her.

She cries when I tell her I am busy then throw a tantrum when I wont give her my credit card to go shopping with (that was what our lunch was meant to be, shopping) seeing as I cancelled. My mood was already in the toilet….it just plummeted even further.

After she left I locked my office door and got lost in work. I asked Isabella not to disturb me.

When the day was finally over I decided to get Chinese take out, seeing as I had the car with me I stopped to pick it up after ringing it in, it would be quicker in the long run.

BIG MISTAKE.

The woman in front of me took forever to order, she had one two toddlers with her, one of which was screaming bloody murder every time the woman tried to put her down. And the other one was happily taking all of the stones out of the fake potted plant in the corner and throwing them at me and the woman and anyone else who happened to look his way.

After an inordinate amount of time I paid for my order, thankfully it was already ready for me, I left as fast as I could to get away from the screaming kid.

I got home and plated up the food before going to my dining room to eat. I poured my self a large glass of Whiskey and ice and brought the bottle with me to the table. It had been one of those days.

After finishing the food and bringing the whiskey and my fortune cookie and the bottle into the living room I crashed onto the sofa.

I thought about my day, I thought bout Isabella and her muttering under her breath about how I had it easy.

Just because she didn't know what I did all day, doesn't mean I don't work hard, its alright for her wandering in an hour late like she doesn't have a care in the world. Once she finshed work she was done for the day, go home and relax, but I can't my day never ends it seems. If only she knew, she'd never survive.

I opened my fortune cookie and read the message.

'Be careful what you wish for…'

whatever.

I left the trash on the coffee table and took my bottle up to my room to drink myself into oblivion.

AN: HOPE THAT YOU LIKED IT. PLEASE REVIEW. THANKS


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO S. MEYER. NOT ME UNFORTUNATLY!

Chapter 3

BPOV

A shrill buzzing noise arouses me from a deep sleep. Its coming from somewhere near my head. I fumble around trying to make it stop. It stops, after I hit it. These sheets are softer than I remember…

My Head is killing me…

I only had one glass of wine…

Ok it was a large glass but still…

I feel like my head has been fun over by a freight train...

I vaguely register that something feels off, but in my half dream state I can't put my finger on it.

As my brain finally resumes normal activity, I realize its Friday, I have work, I should get up. I squint one eye open to look at the clock above my dresser. But my dresser is not there. Huh! I squeeze my eyes shut, and then open both of then, nope not there, this is not my room, this is not my bed, these are not my sheets, and it smells like boy!

Oh God what happened last night. I remember Angela's house, she brought me home, I ate the takeout, did someone spike my drink. Why would Angela spike my drink? Stupid!

So where is the Boy, or Man, or owner of this bedroom. I realize that I am naked. Oh my God if I'm not at home who is with the kids? I reach for the phone, that was buzzing before.

This is not my phone, where is my bag? I need to call Angela, I hope to God above that I was coherent enough to call her to watch the kids, but she would not have let me go out if I was too drunk to remember what I was doing, or drugged, or worse!

Where are my clothes? I need to get dressed, I need to get home…

Where the hell am I?

I open a door, I am hoping it's the bathroom, no, it's a walk in closet bigger than have ever seen in my life, who is this guy everything is so neat, and there are so many clothes.

Oh I am a horrible mother, how could I leave in the middle of the night and not remember? I feel teas start to well up in my eyes. I wipe my hand across my cheeks to get rid of them and stop suddenly, my whole body turns to ice with the chill that runs through me. There is hair on my face. I rush to find a mirror. What the hell is going on, why is there no mirror in here? Why are there so many God-damn doors in this fucking room?

While searching for the bathroom, or a way out, I begin to panic. What the fucking hell is going on, I register that my hair has been cut, my nails are gone, I look down. I have a dick! The world starts to spin.

It all goes black.

I wake up on the floor, please tell me it was all a dream, I feel my face. Hairy! I burst into tears, because I have no idea what's going on. I slowly regain control, wiping the tears from my eyes, and get up off the floor, my head is pounding. I need a mirror.

Determined, I frantically open doors, who needs two walk in closets? Whoever the hell I am meant to be does apparently. I finally find the bathroom and slowly peer round the corner of the sink unit. I close my eyes and step in front of the mirror.

When I open them, I just blink, and blink, and blink, hoping that somehow I can change the reflection, because I see my boss staring back at me.

Of all of the people, in all of the world, honestly this must be a cosmic joke or something.

Looking back at me is Edward fucking Cullen.

And that is the moment when the contents of my, his, our? Stomach decided to reemerge, in spectacular style, all over his fancy pants sink. Serves him right. Asshole.

AN: HOPE THAT YOU LIKED IT. PLEASE REVIEW. I AM GOING TO TRY TO DO A FEW UPDATES EACH DAY, BUT I AM POSTING AS SOON AS I FINISH A CHAPTER SO IT MIGHT TAKE LONGER.


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO S. MEYER.

Chapter 4

EPOV

Crying….

Where is that coming from?

It sounds like a baby?

Must be the woman down stairs, I think she has a kid.

I fumble around trying to drown the noise out with my pillow, and somehow fall back to sleep.

"Bella" someone is prodding me in the side. It's annoying.

"Huh? What's going on?" I say not even bothering to lift my head from under the pillow. The kid is still crying. Jeeze lady take care of your kid. I'm trying to sleep here.

"I could ask you the same thing, Lucy and Jack are both screaming in there, and here you are still in bed. Are you sick?"

I open my eyes to see a brown haired woman standing over me.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my house?"

As if by magic, reality kicks in, and my brain becomes aware of things around me. For example, this is not my bedroom.

"Oh honey, are you ok? Did you fall and hit your head again? Are you dizzy?" the woman says feeling my head like I am a child. I pull away trying to dodge her hands, I don't want some strange woman touching me without my permission.

"Bella, what's the matter with you?" she says getting annoyed when I ignored her incessant questioning. Hang on…

"Bella? Who's Bella?"

"Bella, you're really starting to worry me now! What happened? Should I call a doctor? What's the number of Cullen Inc? I don't think you should go to work like this! I'll call them!"

"Hang on a minute woman, I am fine. Now who are you and where am I?"

"That's it I'm calling the doctor!" she said rushing out of the room.

I took my time getting out of the bed. I had to figure out a way to get home. The clock above the dresser said it was six thirty. I needed to get home and change for work.

This was not the first time that I had got drunk and ended up in some strange woman's bed. I have to say they were normally asleep when I left though, not shouting about calling doctors. She seems a little highly strung, I hope she doesn't ask me to call her, cause really that would only cause problems with Tanya, I did _not _want to have to explain why some crazy woman was harassing me again.

I stumbled into the bathroom, noticing for the first time, that I was wearing clothes. Huh, normally I sleep naked. With my sleepy eyes barely open I walk into the en-suite bathroom and stand in front of the toilet to relieve myself.

"What the fuck!" now my eyes are fully awake, with piss running down my leg.

"What the fuck is going on here?" I shout. With that the woman comes bursting into the bathroom, asking what the matter is.

"Hey, get the fuck out, what do you think you're doing?" I scream at her. And for the first time I notice the decidedly female tone of my voice. That is not my voice.

I spin around, piss still running down my leg, to face the mirror, and freeze in shock at what I see standing before me.

There in the mirror, in barely there shorts, tiny t-shirt, bed head, and piss covered legs, is my assistant.

And I am only slightly ashamed to admit that I started to feel a bit fuzzy. Then the world went black.

AN: SORRY IT TOOK A WHILE BUT HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER. HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT.


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